Philipsburg:--- On Sunday June 13th four K-9 police officers from the Netherlands(Zuid-Holland-Zuid) arrived on Sint Maarten to give advanced courses to the four qualified police dog handlers in St. Maarten and for the re-certification of the two police dogs. The names of the officers from the Netherlands are W. van Bochove ( Inspector), G. ter Horst, A. Laisina and T. Andeweg. The local qualified police dog handlers are sergeants Felix. Richards, Wallace. Leonard, S. Cathalina and H. Roumou. Also present during these courses was sergeant/instructor E. KOOK from the Curacao Police Force.
The local police dog handlers have been preparing for these courses and re-certification of the police dogs for about two weeks prior to the arrival of the team from the Netherlands. The courses and the re-certification of the dogs started on Monday June 14th and ended on Thursday June 17th.On Friday June 18th the two police dogs were re-certified and could continue functioning without any difficulties. These certificates were handed out to Sergeant Felix Richards and Wallace Leonard by the new Chief of Police commissioner Peter de Witte who congratulated the officers for a job well-done and wished them much success as they continue with their careers. Also present were commissioner of police Carl John and Lourdes BROOKS-LAKE of the police management team. This is the first time that these courses were given and the police dogs re-certified outside of the Netherlands. Mr. W. van Bochove was quite impressed with the reception of the team and the accommodations that was provided for them and looks forward to a close working relationship with the police force of Sint Maarten.
